On This Day: September 28

1677:    Hannah Gilbert, one of my maternal 7th great-grandmothers, was born in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Ensign Thomas and Anne/Hannah (Blake) Gilbert. She married William Phillips in about 1696 and died 6 June 1705 in Taunton, Bristol, Massachusetts. [Sources: (1) New England Historic Genealogical Society, editor, Vital Records of Taunton, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, Volume 1 - Births online database, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : downloaded 19 Aug 2011), 176. (2) findagrave.com, digital images (www.findagrave.com : accessed 22 Sep 2011), Hannah Gilbert Phillips, Memorial #20994576, created by Nareen, et al, 17 Aug 2007.]

Photo by Chris and Susanne Eliasen.
findagrave.com,  Memorial #20994576, 
Hannah Gilbert Phillips,
 created by Nareen, et al, 17 Aug 2007. 

]© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Ancestor Appreciation Day 2011

Created with My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 27

1713:   One of my maternal 5th great-grandmothers, Mary Jane Holman, the daughter of Col. John and Ann (Quincy) Holman, was born. She married Ezra Cary on 8 February 1736/1737 and died in 1775. [Sources: (1) Alfred Lyman Holman, "John Holman of Dorchester, Mass., and his Descendants," The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, July 1918, 201; American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 1 Jun 2011); (2) Joiner, Rev. Darrell and Sallyann (carver@ime.net), Cary Family History.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 26

1884: My paternal grandmother Mamie Olive Martindale, the daughter of Ambrose B. and Sarah (Forshee) Martindale, was born in Colmanville, Carter County, Missouri. She died 7 January 1971, in Houston, Harris County, Texas. [Source: Harris County, Texas, death certificate no. 03613 (1971), Mamie Olive Spurlock; Texas Department of Health, Austin.]

Mamie Olive (Martindale) Spurlock with granddaughter
Gloria Jane Spurlock and son J. J. Spurlock, c1953.
Digital image. Original held by Karen Danielsen,
[ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], Lone Grove, OK, 2011.

1897: William Lee Yawman and Myrtle Arminta Snider, my maternal grandparents were married in Lincoln, Neosho County, Kansas. They had eight children:: Joyce Opal, Eunice Evangeline (Eva), Hazel Agnes, Juanita Marie, Myrtle Gertrude (Jean), Clarence Leonard, William Howard, and my mother Beaulah Belle. [Source: Neosho, Kansas, marriage certificate no. (no number) (1897), Yawman-Snyder; Neosho County Courthouse, Erie.]

William Lee and Myrtle Arminta (Snider) Yawman, 1897.
Digital image. Original held by Denise Spurlock,
[ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], Lomita, CA, 2011.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 24

1876: My paternal grandfather, Jasper Jackson Spurlock, son of John F. and Dialtha (Owens) Spurlock, was born in Hurricane, Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. He died on April 18, 1940, in Los Angeles, California. [Source: Los Angeles, California, death certificate no. 19-442238 (1940), Jasper Jackson Spurlock; County of Los Angeles, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.]

J. J. Spurlock, circa 1915
Digital image; original held by Bettye Lou Gleason,
[ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], Bossier City, LA, 2000.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Tombstone Tuesday - Houston T. and Sherreldia J. Owens

I took these photographs of the graves of my paternal 2nd great-grandparents, Houston T. and Sherreldia Jane (Hammontree) Owens when I visited Hurricane Cemetery in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, in 2007. I was saddened that Houston's marker was broken but did not have the knowledge or resources to repair it.

Digital image. Original held by
Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY],
Lomita, CA, 2011.

 Huston [Houston] T.

Husband of 

S. J. Owens

Born Mar. 24, 1816

Died Sept. 15, 1895

Digital image. Original held by
Denise Spurlock, [ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY],
Lomita, CA, 2011.

Sherreldia J.

Wife of

Huston [Houston] T. Owens

Born Nov. 10, 1825

Died Dec. 31, 1896

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Will of John Eaton - 1775

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.


This week I have transcribed the will of my 6th great-grandfather John Eaton of Rowan County, North Carolina; the will is dated 6 April 1775.

In the Name of God Amen, I John Eaton of

the County of Roan in the province of North

Carolina planter being very sick and weak of

body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be

given unto God calling into mind the

mortality of my body and knowing that it

is appointed for all men once to die do

make and ordain this my last will and Testa

ment that is to say principally & first of all

I give and recommend my soul into the hand

of God that gave it and my body I recommind

to the earth to be buried in decent christian

burial at the discretion of my Executors,

nothing doubting but at the Resurrection

I shall receive the same again by the mighty

power of God and as touching such worldly

estate whewith it hath pleased God to bless

me with in this life I give devise[?] & dispose

of the same in following manner and form

First I give and bequeath to Elizabeth my dear

-ly beloved wife one feather bed and furniture

one cow and the third part of the incomes of

the place to dispose of at her discretion and a

room in the house as long as she lives.

Also I give to my well beloved son Samuel Ea-

-ton one hundred acres of Land at the upper

or north end next to Ab[?] Wood. Also I give to

my well beloved son Daniel Eaton all the remainder

of my land with the improvements that is on it, and

he is to give to his mother the third part of the income

of the place as long as she liveth. Also I give to my

dearly beloved wife Elizabeth two cows & one horse

one mear for her property to dispose of as she pleas

-es, the remainder of the Stocs and waggin to be sold att

publick vandue[venue?] and the debts paid of. the rest of

the money divided equal among other children &

the mony that I have now by me is to pay of the

quits in land office. I likewise constitute make &

ordain David Jones and Isaac Eaton sole Executors

of this my last will & Testment, and I do hereby

utterly disalow revoke and disannual all and

any other former Testament Wills Legaces bequests

and Executors by me in any way before named

willed and bequeathed ratifying and confirm-

ing this and no other to be my last will and

Testament. It witness where I have hereunto

set my hand & seal this six day of April in

the year of our Lord one thousand seven hun-

dred and seventy five.              his

                                       John  X  Eaton

                                               mark

Syned sealed published pronounced

and declared by the said John Eaton as his last will

and Testament in presence of us

John Reed, Samuel Reed, Ebenezer Fairchild

[Source: "North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970," digital images, FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org : accessed 9 Aug 2011); John Eaton, will dated 6 April 1775; citing Probate Records, Rowan, Wills, 1780-1807, Vol. C, page 16, image 27 of 65.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Arrr, It’s Talk Like a Pirate Day

I ha'en’t found any pirates in my family tree. It would be fun t' find Jack Sparrow hidden in the branches somewhar.

My son did have a close encounter with a pirate in San Francisco. It seems the pirate didn’t take kindly t' him tryin' t' steal the parrot:

Digital image. Original photograph held by
Denise Spurlock, 2011.

Aye, me parrot concurs. Arrr, and har's the granddaughter sittin' on the rocks watchin' for that Sparrow character, gar!

Digital image. Original photograph by Brian Angers, 2011.
Used with permission.

[Translation done by Pirate Speak Translator.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 17

1577: John Gilbert, one of my maternal 10^th great-grandfathers, was born to Giles and Joan (Pearce) Gilbert. He died about 1654. [Source: Joiner, Rev. Darrell and Sallyann (carver@ime.net), Cary Family History.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 15

1830: James B. Forshee and Sarah A. Parker, my paternal 2^nd great-grandparents, were married, probably in Monroe County, Tennessee. Their marriage record has not been found. James and Sarah had seven children: George, Richard, John, Benjamin, Margaret, Joseph, and Sarah (my great-grandmother).

[Source: Sarah Forshee, certificate #231457, Declaration for Mother's Army Pension, filed 26 Jul 1880; Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Dependents of Civil War and Later Navy Veterans, ('Navy Widows' Certificates'), 1861-1910; Record Group M1279; National Archives, Washington.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Workday Wednesday - Tools of the Trade

Every tradesman has a collection of tools specifically designed for the job to be done. J. J. Spurlock, my watchmaker grandfather, was no exception.

The unknown author of a magazine feature about my grandfather wrote:

...not knowing that factory made tools could be purchased [he] made his own hammers, pliers, tweezers, mainspring winder, etc., in his father's blacksmith shop. Then he came upon a catalog of Sears Roebuck and found that watchmakers tools were illustrated in it. Recognizing their superiority he immediately sent away an order.[1]

A few months ago while browsing in a local antique store, I found a commemorative edition of the 1900 Sears catalog. Then a few days later, I found that Ancestry had published digitized versions on their website. Here is an image of the page on which watchmakers' tools were advertised:

Sears Roebuck Catalog Fall 1900, Vol. 110; digital images,
Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2011); image 42.

I wonder whether my grandfather selected individual tools based on his needs at the time or if he bought the "complete watch tool set" for $10.00! Perhaps he ordered one of these books on watchmaking as well!

Sears Roebuck Catalog Fall 1900, Vol. 110; digital images,
Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2011); image 242.

[1] "Finds Pleasure at the Bench," Horology: The National Magazine for Advancement in Timekeeping, August 1938, 31. 

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 13

1663: Anna Shepard, one of my maternal 7^th great-grandmothers, the daughter of Thomas Shepard, Jr., and Anna (Tyng) Shepard was born. She died 24 July 1708.

[Source: Massachusetts Historical Society : New England Historic Genealogical Society, "Colonial Collegians: Biographies of Those Who Attended American Colleges before the War for Independence," database, American Ancestors (www.americanancestors.org : accessed 5 Sep 2011), entry for Thomas Shepard, Harvard, p. 219.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Amanuensis Monday - Will of George Eaton (Easton) 1797

On his TransylvanianDutch blog, John Newmark defines an amanuensis as “a person employed to write out what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.” For more information about this daily blogging prompt, see John’s post Amanuensis – Why?.

I have amassed quite a collection of scans of handwritten documents related to my ancestors—primarily marriage records, deeds, and wills. As I have been transcribing these documents, it occurred to me that most of these documents were not actually written by my ancestors, but rather dictated to someone else, and then transcribed by a clerk into official records.


This week I am posting a transcription and image of the 1797 will of George Eaton (Easton?) of Rowan County, North Carolina.  I believe that George may be a brother to my 6th great-grandfather John Eaton.

In the name of God Amen! I George Eaton of the County

of Rowan & State of N^o. Carolina, being of perfect health

of body & perfect mind & memory thanks be to God for it, &

calling to mind the mortality of my body, & knowing that it

is appointed for all men once to die, do make & ordain

this my last will & test: that is to say principally & first

of all I give & recomend my soul to God who gave it & my

body I recommend to the earth, to be buried in a christian

burial, at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but

at the general resurrection, I shall receive the same again by

the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly

estate wherewith it had pleased God to bless me in this life

I give devise & dispose of the same in the following form

[?]I desire that my Land & plantation, whereon I now live

should be sold & the money equally divided between my four

children viz. John, Sarah, David & Elizabeth Eaton. I give

all the rest of my moveable property to my three youngest

Children Sarah, David & Elizabeth.

I likewise, constitute make & ordain my beloved brother Daniel

Easton & neighbour Laz^s Whitehead executors of this my

last will & test: all & singular the above mentioned legacey

to my heirs to be freely enjoyed & possessed by them for ever

This I desire should be considered as my last will & test:

whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 18^th

day of February 1797.

Signed sealed, published, in presence

of:

E. Jones                                  George Easton {seal}

               his

Abraham X Hall [?}

              mark

[Source: "North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970."  images,  FamilySearch  (www.familysearch.org : accessd 9 Aug 2011);  George Eaton, will dated 18 Sep 1897; citing Probate Records, Rown, Wills, 1780-1803, Vol. C, image 229.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Honoring My Grandparents

To forget one's ancestors is to be

a brook without a source,

a tree without a root.

(Chinese Proverb)

Jasper Jackson Spurlock (1876-1940)

Mamie Olive (Martindale) Spurlock (1884-1971)

William Lee Yawman (1870-1948)

Myrtle Arminta (Snider) Yawman (1878-1958)

Forget-Me-Nots
By Marie Nyl-Frosch (Private Collection) [Public domain],
via Wikimedia Commons

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

A Stitch in Time Saves Nine

People have been sewing by hand for thousands of years, but it wasn't until the middle of the nineteenth century that Elias Howe received the first American patent for a process that used thread from two different sources. Isaac Singer, though, was the first to build a sewing machine that was successfully manufactured and sold to consumers. There was a time when a sewing machine was found in every woman's home. This is no longer the case. In fact, fewer and fewer people these days know how to sew, by hand or machine.

Singer model 27, drawing of treadle table
from instruction manual;
public domain image from
Wikimedia Commons

My first sewing machine looked somewhat like the picture on the left, but it had been converted to use electricity instead of the treadle! The bobbin was shuttle-shaped instead of round as used on later machines. It would only sew a straight stitch in one direction, but it served its purpose.

The sewing machine I have now is a Sears Kenmore model given to me as a wedding gift by my mother and my older sisters. They got a bargain because the model had been discontinued! I used it regularly for many years to sew everything from children's clothes to a wedding dress. It's in the garage now because I don't sew much anymore and just don't have space for it.

My mother loved to have the latest model sewing machine...she wanted it to have all the latest bells and whistles! She sewed clothes for me and my sister when we were young; much to my embarrassment, they were often made of matching fabric! One of my childhood dreams was to have a "store-bought" dress.

My Grandma Yawman was an accomplished seamstress, and I'm not sure whether she ever owned a sewing machine. One of my prize heirlooms is a skirt she made, entirely by hand, for my older sister is the mid-1950s. Made of blue and white printed cotton, it is in remarkable condition for its age. The seams are French seams, the buttonholes at the waistband are hand-worked. Beautiful needlework!

A stitch in time saves nine...you ask, nine what? Nine more stitches, of course.



© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Friend of Friends Friday - Will of John Caskey 1785

Following is an image and transcription of the 1785 will of John Caskey of Craven County, South Carolina. It has been transcribed exactly as written.

In the Name of God Amen, I John Caskey of Craven Countey

otherwise Chaster in Camden District and State of South Carolina planter

Being Mindfull of the unsertintey of this trasitery Woreld & Knowing that

that it is Appointed for all Men once to Die do Make Constitute and Appoi

int this to be my Last Will and testament Being of perfect Mind Memory

and understanding first and principally I Recommend my Soul to the

Almightey God Who Give it Nothing Doubting but at the Resurection I

Shall stand in my flesh and see God and as to my Bodey I Recomend to the

Dust there to be Buried in A Christian and Desant like manner at the

Discretion of my Executors hereafter Named, and as toucing Such Worldy

Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with I Devide and Dispose of in Maner

and form following that is to Say first and prinsabelly, I allow all my

Lawfull Debtes and Demands to be paid by my Executors, and my Nego fellowe

Named [blank] my Waggin and still and two horses I allow to be disposed of at

the Discretion of my Executors, I bequeth to my well beloved Wife Ester Caskey

one hundred acres of this plantation Whereon I now live with all the

Improvements During her Widowhood and at the End of that to fall in to

My Dearly beloved Daughter Izebell and I do leave and bequeth all the

Remainder of my Land Contaning three hundred and fiftey Acres Equally

to be Diveded Amongest my four Sones, I bequeth to my well beloved

Daughter Marey Caskey my Negro Wench Named Keat and I allow all my

plantation tools to be Continued on the plantaton During my well beloved

Wifes Widowhood and as for the Remainder of all my Estate not before-

mentioned I leave it Equally to be Diveded Amongest my Six Children

and my Beloved Wife Each one an Equall proportion, and I do Constitute

and Ordain and Appoint A^rchibald Coulton and Andrew Graham and my

well beloved Wife Ester Caskey to my Lawfull Executors of  this my Last

Will and Testement, Signed Sealed Published and prounenced and

Declared to be my last Will and Testement in presantes of us ^{^this th}19 day

of September Anodomni 1785.

David Graham   }                                                         John Caskey {LS}

Andrew Graham}

John Graham      }

 

[Source: Camden, Kershaw County, South Carolina, will of John Caskey, dated 19 September 1785; “South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977,” digital images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 17 July 2011); the Caskey document is imaged as p. 342 of documents within the section “Camden, Kershaw, Estate record books, 1782-1823, Vol. A1).]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Those Places Thursday - 412 Craig Avenue, Fairbanks

Last week I blogged about the little red house my family lived in when my sister was born. I've been searching for addresses where we lived and found one in a newspaper article: 412 Craig Avenue in the Hamilton Acres development in Fairbanks. So I went to Google Earth to see what I could find!

I remember that, when we lived there, it was close to a major highway, which can be seen running from the upper left to the lower right on this image:

The house we lived in had front steps that I fell on once. Left a scar on my knee that didn't disappear for years. It's also where my dad built a sheet metal "swimming" pool for us. Looks like they have done some remodeling, at the very least...

There was a fire station directly across the street but it doesn't look like it's being used anymore!

And there was a grocery store (a Piggly-Wiggly, I think) next to the fire station.

Not sure it's still a market...looks like things have changed a lot since the early '60s!


© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Workday Wednesday - The Watchmaker

When the itinerant clockmakers and watchmakers came to the parish, he observed them as they went about their work of repairing timepieces. He likely asked questions and examined the tools with which they worked. He fashioned tools of his own and began to refurbish the clocks and watches that others could not fix.

This is how my grandfather J. J. “Jack” Spurlock (1876-1940) learned the basics of the trade in which he would engage for the rest of his life.

Soon after being enumerated as a watchmaker in the 1900 census for Bienville Parish, Louisiana, Jack headed north to sharpen his skills through a training course at the Canadian Horological Institute in Toronto. The institute offered several programs of study. Since he had already acquired the basic skills required for the trade, he likely completed a six-month “finisher’s course.”

By 1905, he was a partner in the firm of Spurlock and McMillan in Nacogdoches County, Texas. After his marriage late that year, he entered into a partnership with his father-in-law and formed the Spurlock Martindale Company in Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas.

After several years doing business in Jacksonville, he headed west. In 1913, he worked as a watchmaker in Maricopa County, Arizona. By 1918, he had arrived in California.

Living first in San Diego, he found employment as a watchmaker with J. Jessop & Sons. According to an announcement in the trade publication “The Jeweler’s Circular,” he opened a school in San Diego to train watchmakers in 1919. Sometime during the 1920s, he moved north to Los Angeles where he operated a retail watch store and repair business under his own name until his death in 1940.

He was an active member of the California Horological Association, serving on its Technical Committee and as Vice President. In 1939, he published a book titled Split-Second Chronographs and Timers.

Source: "Finds Pleasure at the Bench,"
Horology: The National Magazine for Advancement in Timekeeping, August 1938, 31.

                        

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 6

1620: William Blake, one of my maternal 9th great-grandfathers, the son of William and Agnes (Thorn) Blake, was baptized at Pitminster, Somerset, England. He came to the colonies with his parents in 1636. He died 3 September 1703 in Milton, (now) Norfolk County, Massachusetts.

Facsimile Signature of William Blake

[Source: Francis Everett Blake, Increase Blake of Boston, his ancestors and descendants, with a full account of William Blake or Dorchester and his five children (Boston, Massachusetts: Press of D. Clapp & Son, 1898), 25-26.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Sentimental Sunday – Remembering “Papa”

There are times when a person comes into our lives and has such an impact that, no matter what happens, they always have a special place in our hearts.

For me, one of those individuals was Eugene (Gene) Hrachovina. I won’t try to explain the relationship – it’s complicated. But Papa has a special corner in my heart. I have wonderful memories of him making aebleskivers for Sunday family breakfasts, driving the dune buggies way too fast, and taking us to dinner at the Redondo Beach pier. He is the only grandfather my son remembers. 

Digital image.
Original photograph in possession
of  Denise Spurlock, 2011.

Eugene (Gene) Hrachovina

December 7, 1917-

December 12, 2000

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Ahnentafel Roulette - #42 Absolem Eaton

Here is the weekly challenge from Randy Seavers of GeneaMusings:

1) How old is your great-grandfather now, or how old would he be if he had lived? Divide this number by 4 and round the number off to a whole number. This is your "roulette number."
2) Use your pedigree charts or your family tree genealogy software program to find the person with that number in your ahnentafel (ancestor name list). Who is that person?
3) Tell us three facts about that person with the "roulette number."
4) Write about it in a blog post on your own blog, in a Facebook or Google Plus note or comment, or as a comment on this blog post.
5) If you do not have a person's name for your "roulette number" then spin the wheel again - pick a grandparent, a parent, a favorite aunt or cousin, or even your children!

Spinning......

After doing all the math, I am ready to go! My maternal great-grandfather Michael H. Yawman was born in 1842 and would be 168 years old if he were alive. Dividing by 4 gave me a nice whole number of 42 (no fractions here, yay!). Number 42 on my ahnentafel list is Absolem D. Eaton, one of my paternal 3rd great-grandfathers. Here is what it says about him:

42. Absolem D. Eaton, son of Abraham Eaton and Mary, was born 11 Jan 1793 in Rowan Co., NC, died on 20 Nov 1859, and was buried in Bismarck, St. Francois, Missouri.

Here are three facts about Absolem:

• He married Sarah Reaves (daughter of James) on 21 March 1815 in Haywood County, North Carolina. [Source: "North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004," online database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 20 Mar 2011), Absolam Eaton and Sarah Reaves; citing County Court Records at Waynesville, NC and FHL # 0418147 item 2.]

• In 1825, Absolem purchased 80 acres of public land in Washington County, Missouri; here is a copy of the patent:

Bureau of Land Management, "General Land Office Records,"
online database and images (www.glorecords.blm.gov : accessed 3 Sep 2011),
 entry for Absalom Eaton, Accession Nr. MO0570.565.

• In the 1850 U.S. census, Absolem, his wife Sarah, and youngest daughter Martha, were enumerated in Concord Township, Washington County, Missouri. Absolem, a farmer, owned real estate valued at $500. This was the last census on which he was enumerated. [Source: 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Concord, Washington, Missouri, p. 125A, family 508, household of Absalom Eaton; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 14 Jan 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M432, roll M432_421.]

Completing this challenge, I discovered I have much less information than I thought regarding my Eaton ancestors. I need to develop a research plan for this family!



© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Sports Center Saturday - Emerging Texas Football Star

Attention Aggies, Cowboys, and Texans recruiters! Today marks the start of the football career of Texas' most promising up-and-coming player!

Digital photograph, copyright Rana Cooper 2011.
Used with permission.

Pictured above in full uniform, James Cooper, special teams player for the Sherman Bearcats, is a young man to watch as his career develops. According to the most reliable source (his mother, who is also this writer's niece), Cooper is the "most focused, hardest working player on the team." Although the Bearcats lost today's game to the Anna Coyotes (30-8), those in the know say the Bearcats are just off to a slow start and will be a force to reckon with in future games.

Cooper follows in the tradition of his Spurlock relatives who were featured in a previous Sports Center Saturday post.



© 2011 Denise Spurlock

On This Day: September 3

1726: One of my maternal 5th great-grandfathers, Caleb Leonard, son of Benjamin and Hannah (Phillips) Leonard, was born in Dighton, (now) Bristol County, Massachusetts. He died 18 March 1814 in Beallsville, Washington County, Pennsylvania. [Source: Joiner, Rev. Darrell and Sallyann (carver@ime.net), Cary Family History.]

Both Caleb Leonard, and his son, Caleb Leonard, Jr., are buried in the Old Section at Beallsville Cemetery; however, the senior Leonard’s tombstone is no longer standing. On July 28, 2008, Debbie Day posted a map and information regarding the location of Caleb Leonard’s grave, as well as a photo of the younger Leonard’s tombstone, on her Beallsville Cemetery and Washington County PA Genealogy Research Blog.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Friend of Friends Friday - Will of Richard Cook - 1800

This week I have continued to transcribe probate records of the Cook family of Iredell County, North Carolina. This week I am posting the will of Richard Cook, written in 1800.

In the Name of God Amen.
I Richard Cook of the County of Iredill
and State of North Carolina mindful of that
mortality common to all men and being of
sound mind and memory do on this the
fifth day of April in the year eighteen hundred
make, ordain and publish this my last will
and Testament in manner and Form following
In the first place, To my beloved wife Lucey
I give for her use during her natural life
or widowhood the sole use and benefit of my
plantation on Rockey Creek on which I now
live, and all my Negroes, Mill, Farming utensils
waggon Orchards &c, and to my said wife I
give and bequeath absolutely and to be at her
disposal at her death the Negroes following
Delilah and her children Nancy & Mary
Sal and her children Tab, Hannah, little Jack
Ned, Wyat, Violet and the children they or any
of them may hereafter have.
My Stock of Horses, Cattle, Sheep, & Hogs I allow
to the use of my said wife Lucey so far as she
may choose to keep on the plantation giving
to her and my other Executors the power to sell
or dispose of any animal she may not choose
to keep and the money arising therefrom to be
reserved til the death of my wife and then
by her divided as hereafter directed.
My money, debts and every thing of the kind
I allow to be kept by my Executors untill
the death of my wife then to be by her disposed
of as hereafter directed.
The Increase of my stock after my death and
whatever may be the profits of my wifes Industry
with my hands on my plantation after my
Decease, I allow to her absolutely and entirely.
My household of Kitchen Furniture of every kind
and discription I give to my said wife for her
sole use and disposal.
At the death or marriage of my said wife I
allow my plantation on which I now live
of six hundred and forty Acres, with the Tract
adjoining I purchased of William Hughes
to Richard Jones Cook the son of my nephew
John Cook and I do hereby give and bequeath
the said Tracts of Land on Rockey Creek being
all the Land I own to the said Richard Jones
Cook, to him his Heirs or Assigns forever, at the
death of my said Wife.
My money before mentioned with the following
Negroes, Dick, Jack, Bob, Primor[?] Simon and
Ben, not willed absolutely to my wife, I allow
to be disposed by my wife Lucey among our relations
of both sides as she may judge proper and
right, by will or otherwise, hereby declaring
firm and effectual all such disposals of my
said wife Lucey.
My Sister Lucy Clanton now living on the
small Tract I purchased of William Hughes
I allow the privilege of living on the said Tract
and cultivating the same during her life if
she chooses to continue there.
Farther, I do hereby constitute and appoint my
beloved wife Lucy Cook, my brother Thomas
Cook my Nephew John Cook and Richard
King Executors of this my will, hereby revoking
all former wills and declaring this to be my
last will & Testament.
Signed, sealed, published and declared this day
and date first above written
                                        his name
                            Richard RC Cook   {seal}
                                or mark by himself
In presence of
Ja^s. King
Howell Barker Jurat
Elihu King

[Source: Iredell County, North Carolina, Will Book 1, page 89, will 59, Margaret Cooke 1800, FHL microfilm 1571950, Original wills Beaver, Moses - Kilpatrick, Andrew; Family History Library, Salt Lake City.]

© 2011 Denise Spurlock

Those Places Thursday - The Little Red House



Beulah Belle (Yawman) Spurlock and
Jennifer Jeannine Spurlock, October 1958.
Digital image. Original in possession of Denise Spurlock,
[ADDRESS WITHHELD FOR PRIVACY], 2011.

Affectionately known as the "little red house," this is one of the houses in which we lived in Fairbanks, Alaska. The street address was 424 First Street. I have a few pictures of the interior of the house. It was only one bedroom, and the family story is that Jennifer slept in a drawer at the foot of my bed when she was a baby.

I tried to find the house using Google Earth, but was unsuccessful. The image that comes up is a multi-story building which appears to be in the downtown area, so I suspect the street name has been changed or the "little red house" no longer exists.



© 2011 Denise Spurlock